The Cuts that Cure
Ratings2
Average rating4
15
Ratings2
Average rating4
Alex Brantley is a disgraced surgeon whose desperation to start a new life outside of medicine leads him to settle in a sleepy Texas town close to the Mexican border, a town that has a dark side. Its secrets and his own past catch up with him as traits he thought he'd buried in the deserts on the frontiers of the border rise up again to haunt him. To the citizens of Three Rivers, Henry Wallis appears to be a normal Texas teenager: a lean, quiet kid from a good family whose life seems to center around running cross-country, his first girlfriend, and Friday night football. That Henry is a cultivated illusion, however, a disguise he wears to conceal his demons. Both meticulous and brutally cruel, he manages to hide his sadistic indulgences from the world, but with that success, his impulses grow stronger until one day when a vagrant is found murdered. When Alex and Henry's paths cross, it starts a domino effect which leads to mangled lives and chilling choices made in the shadows along la frontera, where everything is negotiable.
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A big thank you to Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me a copy of The Cuts that Cure for an honest review.
Alex Brantley slogged through medical school, working long hours until he reached the point of burnout. But still, he persisted thinking everyone in his chosen profession felt the same way. Until he reached his breaking point and walked away from being a surgeon. Now loaded with college debt, Alex decides to start life over in Three Rivers as a science teacher. But his past isn't ready to let go of him. And one of his new students, Henry Wallis, is hiding a dark secret. One that may pull Alex down if he isn't careful.
The Cuts that Cure is a book unafraid to explore the dark sides of humanity. Readers will meet a cast of characters who harbor darkness within, and unleash it in various ways. This is not a book for those easily disturbed. Arthur Herbert is adept at balancing between multiple viewpoints and crafting a story that is as disturbing as it is compelling.
There were some points where characters had large bouts of exposition through dialog. Not all of the information seemed relevant to the story and slowed the progression down a bit. But once the characters finished talking they generally ended up in high-intensity moments that propelled the story forward once again.
And just when I thought I knew the main plot for The Cuts that Cure, Arthur Herbert threw a twist I never saw coming. It was like pulling the rug out from beneath my feet, and I stared at the pages wondering where the story could possibly go. But of course, I had to keep going, I had to know what else was in store for the characters. And the surprises kept coming, the story constantly shifting in new directions making it an unpredictable, but enjoyable read.
The Cuts that Cure is a book full of surprising twists, suspense, and some quite disturbing situations. If you enjoy psychological and medical thrillers, give it a try.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Nearly a 5 star read!!
PROS
– Fantastic writing.
– Fast paced.
– Extremely engaging plot.
– Twists and turns.
– Intriguing and well-developed characters.
– Satisfying ending.
CONS
– This was nearly a 5 star read for me. What ultimately knocked it down to four was the Henry arc. I just don't feel like the resolution fit with how Henry had been portrayed up to that point. The Henry the author gives us from page one would never have even considered that as an option. It just seemed to be a convenient way to move Alex's story forward. Which kind of made everything Henry did kind of pointless in a way. If that makes sense?
Alex was a surgeon, a very good one, but difficulties with his mental health and the fact that...well he hates being a doctor...bring his world crashing down. Disgraced and disbarred he ends up as a science teacher in a small town in Texas called Three Rivers.
Meanwhile, a sadistic killer has been coming into his own. After Henry's mother finds him, at the age of ten, in an unspeakable sort of ritual she decides a new town would be best. New start...buried secrets. Three Rivers will be that new start for them.
When a homeless person is found dead Detective Lozano realizes this isn't a natural occurrence and foul play is suspected. When the clues point him in Henry's direction the Detective has to wonder how this high school kid is involved.
When this case, and a subsequent tragedy collide, Alex finds himself at the heart of it. Why does his name come up when people speak of Henry? Has his past come back to haunt him?
I am amazed that this is a debut. There is a lot going on here as we are reading about two lives, with different circles, that eventually slam together. The writing is well-done and I had a very hard time putting this one down. Alex and Henry are complete opposites which make for interesting chapters as you read from their individual perspectives. You love Alex and accordingly deeply dislike Henry.
I wasn't expecting the outcome that this one had and while I've seen some reviews that say this somewhat ruined the ending for them, I felt it brought Alex's story full circle. I really enjoyed the way it finished. I am excited to see what this author comes up with next.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
